Loving an Assassin
by missfriday11
Summary: When Natsu chose Lisanna over Lucy, Lucy thought the chapter of their love story was finally over. Unbeknownst to them, it was just the beginning of their long painful journey of hurting, losing, forgetting and finding each other. The heavens have written their names as soulmates; but can Natsu save his 'soulmate' from the dark abyss and mend his past mistakes?
1. Pain and Heartbreak

"What do you mean you don't love me anymore, Natsu?" it felt as if my heart was pierced with thousands of arrows as I uttered those words. I clenched my fist and placed it over my aching heart.

"Natsu! Answer me!" I raised my voice and lifted my eyes off the ground to face the man I truly loved. The person whom I thought would be my pillar of support until the very end. The man whom I thought would be my loyal companion through my exciting adventures. Tears were streaming down my cheeks as I stared him with tender eyes, hoping he was just pulling one of his mean tricks on me.

"Lucy, my feelings for her is still strong. And now that she's back, I.. I can't help myself. I can't control these feelings Lucy. I have always loved her even before I met you and the feeling is still embedded in my heart," Natsu averted his gaze away from mine as he uttered those hurtful words. It was as if he could hear my heart being shattered to pieces.

"Natsu! She is your past and I am your present and please, let me stay in your future. Don't your remember? You promise that we would always be together, you promise that we would embark on more adventures together!" my legs gave away as I convinced him to stay. I slumped weakly on the ground – crushed and beaten in the inside. Teardrops trickled down my chin and dripped onto the ground. I could feel the warmth of my tears as it strolled down my cheeks. Only if the same warmth could reach Natsu's cold empty stare.

"Lucy, please don't make it harder for both of us. I admit it, I am guilty and I know I hurt your deeply but I can't control these feelings. I.. I love her. I have been in love with her since the last 15 years. Lucy. I am truly sorry," Natsu whispered slowly.

"CUT IT OUT! I don't want to hear those words, Natsu! Not from the man I love!" I cupped my ears and shook my head in disbelief. Now I even doubted as to whether you actually knew the definition of love. I mustered the courage to lift my head and face Natsu.

"I love you, Natsu. Please don't do this to me. I don't have anyone but you. I have lost my family, I have lost everything but I can still hold on because I have you by my side. If you choose to leave me and go to Lisanna, what should I do? What would be left of me?" To be honest, I could not imagine my life without him by my side. At the same time, I felt disgusted at my weakness. I detested the fact that I was afraid the idea of solitude and being unloved by him. Why do I have to be so weak? Do I really have to be loved to survive this world? I gritted my teeth as these questions flooded my brain.

Logically speaking, I was capable to survive without depending on anyone – especially Natsu – but my heart was to weak to accept it. My heart longed to be loved by Natsu and my greediness wanted to make him absolutely mine. Was I being punished for my selfish desires? Did I deserve to be punished like this? I looked at Natsu who was standing tall before me.

His spiky unkempt pink salmon hair was blown away by the wind. His rock hard solid abs was in plain view. The usual white chequered scarf was neatly wrapped around his neck. Natsu body posture was stiff and unmoving.

"Don't you ever want to give us both a chance?" I whispered, waiting for his response. Natsu, however, chose to keep quiet and averted his gaze from my tear-stained face. His silence was deafening and his negative response was enough to deliver his unspoken answer. With shaking legs, I pulled myself up, gathering the courage and dignity that I had left. I wiped the tears off my face and faked a half-hearted laugh. Natsu observed me silently with his intense eyes. I carved a forced smile.

"It's fine Natsu. You don't have to justify yourself. I don't want to further place you in a difficult position. If that's what you wish for, I understand," I turned my body away from Natsu and slowly began making my way. Just when I was about to take the first step, Natsu grabbed my arm.

"Forgive me, Lucy. Please live happily. Even without me, please don't stop living your life to the fullest," Natsu whispered. I bit my lip and tears rolled down my cheek. I closed my eyes, swallowing the flood of emotions.

"Just how cruel can you be, Natsu?" I pulled my arms away from his grip and started to make my way. The fallen brown leaves crunched beneath my shoes as I strode further away from Natsu. I thought the gloomy fall season would mark the end of our story but unbeknownst to me, this was just the beginning of the heartbreaking chapter of our love story.

It had been 3 months since the incident. At this stage, our lives resumed as usual although the awkward silence between Natsu and me still lingered in the atmosphere. I acknowledged that he had tried his best to avoid contact with me by dragging Lisanna and Happy along for missions (even embarking on the non-sensical ones)

It would be a lie if I told people that my heart no longer ached; in fact whenever I witnessed Lisanna and Natsu laughing together whilst holding hands, a part of me slowly died inside.

I had grown accustomed to the feeling of sharp pain piercing through my heart whenever I heard both of them discussing about their future plans. However, my defensive mechanism had urged me to play along rather than running away from them. Otherwise, it would only show my weakness and vulnerability and I did want my guild mates to further sympathise me over what had happened between me and Natsu. Really, I was just being egoistical.

Deep down, however, I was still madly in love with that man. It did not matter how many pieces my heart was shattered everytime I saw him smiling widely beside Lisanna; the fact that he was happy mattered the most to me. Even if it was at the expense of my own happiness.

Somehow, today felt different. My gut instinct told me as if something might happen. Part of me felt different; as if I was about to part with my guildmates for a very long stretch of time. I shook my head at the absurdity of the thoughts. For one, I never intended to leave the guild, even after what had happened. Secondly, I did not foresee any danger that could have happened as long as I stayed in the guild and near my guildmates. Afterall, we were the strongest wizard guild in Fiore and no one would dare to step inside the guild looking for trouble. That would be suicidal. After reasoning with my logical self, I huffed a sigh of relief; although still feeling a tad bit annoyed at the persistent tug of uneasiness at the bottom of my heart.

I smiled at the sight of Gajeel bickering with Levy. I have always adored the somewhat mismatched couple. Who would have thought the bookworm Levy would fall head over heels with the scruffy and rough Iron Dragon Slayer, who seems to not have the slightest idea on how to treat a woman? I stifled a laugh at the sight of Juvia desperately vying for Gray's attention. That persistent woman just did not know the definition of 'giving up' but I admired her perseverance. Erza was silently enjoying her strawberry cheesecake. Deep down, I was pretty sure she must be squealing in delight whilst savouring the creamy cheesecake. I carved a smile at that particular thought. This truly felt like home and I was currently at peace. I truly was.

"Don't be silly, knob-head. Everything is just going to be alright," I tried to convince myself and took a sip of my drink.

I was halfway through finishing my drinks when the guild's main door was opened with a loud bang. The whole guild went silent; Levy's bickering with Gajeel stopped, Erza immediately stood up from her seat and Cana stopped her drinking. The atmosphere was brought to a standstill. Lisanna was standing before our eyes, her dress was covered in fresh blood. A deep gash ran down her cheeks. She looked like she had just been attacked by a grizzly bear. I took a sharp breath when I realised Natsu was nowhere to be seen with her.

"Lisanna! What happened?" Mira-jane was the first one to break the silence and she ran towards Lisanna, who was already slumped weakly on the doorway. She looked like she was struggling to breathe, probably because she had ran all the way here to ask help.

"Everyone, please help Natsu! Please! We were attacked on our way back to the guild." Lisanna sobbed. "The enemies are so strong, that even Natsu had trouble holding them back." Lisanna shook Mira-jane's body, clearly in desperation. I had never seen the sweet Lisanna lost her composure like this. Is this what my gut instinct had been trying to tell me since the start? that I would lose Natsu to the enemies? I shook the negative thoughts out of my head.

"We.. we tried to attack it together. However, none of our attacks managed to cripple them! Natsu asked me to run to the guild and ask for back-up. And I... I... I left him! I am afraid that he would be killed!" Lisanna sobbed. I could clearly see her pained expression; she must be feeling as if she had betrayed Natsu and left him alone to die. However, I perfectly understood this situation from Natsu's perspective.

He, on the other hand, deliberately asked her to leave him so he could protect her in his own way. I felt a pang of jealousy of their own devotion to each other. They clearly loved each other and I suddenly felt as if I was just an interference in their love story.

I shook my head; feeling disgusted at my own selfish thoughts during this critical time.

"It's okay Lisanna, it's not your fault. We know Natsu is trying his best to protect you," Mira-jane consoled Lisanna, who was sobbing fervently in her arms.

"BACK-UP TEAM, READY! Let's go and save Natsu!" without wasting time, Erza barked orders and the guild launched into motion. It happened in a blur, Lisanna was carried into the infirmary and Erza laid down the map on the table, pin-pointing the place where Natsu was presumed to be, according to the information given by Lisanna. Within 5 minutes, a perfect tactical strategy was devised and I was not part of the plan. Maybe Erza felt I would not be able to handle this mission professionally after what had happened between Natsu and me 3 months ago. I gritted my teeth at that thought.

Just when Erza rolled back the map, I interrupted. "Erza, I want to be part of this mission," I raised my voice. I felt the whole guild went still but I could feel the swarm of thoughts in their heads. It was awkwardly deafening. Erza looked hesitant for a few moments. However, my unwavering gaze seemed to convince her to change her mind.

"Lucy, you will go with Gray and Juvia. Gray, brief her the plan on our way to the forest. Remember Lucy, don't go overboard and just stick to what you are told to do by Gray. Nothing more, nothing less, is that understood?" Erza's stern voice finally broke the silence. I nodded my head; determined to show her that I could be reliable and of use to save Natsu; and that I would not be swayed with emotions during the mission. I had faith in my capability because I am Lucy Heartfilia.

However, I was dead wrong. The start of the long heartbreaking story between me and Natsu was finally set into motion on that day. If only I chose to stay... it would definitely save Natsu and the people around me the heartbreak. If only I was not egoistical to prove my worth and capabilites to my guildmates. If only I did not let the emotions took over me.

When we arrived at the scene, I stifled a gasp. Natsu was lying weakly before us. I had never seen him broken like this. In my eyes, he had always been invincible and unbreakable. Upon seeing us, Natsu managed to carve a weak smile.

"Thank God. At least, I know Lisanna had made it back to the guild safe and sound," he said it, despite having difficulty with breathing. I bit my lips to stop the tears from falling. At that time, I did not know what actually hurt more : witnessing how deep was his love for Lisanna or the fact that he was currently lying there; broken, battered and bloody yet still had Lisanna in his thoughts. All these times, I am nothing to you then, Natsu?

"Everyone, don't let your guard down! The enemy is still in front of us!" Erza shouted and it brought me back to reality. I averted my gaze off Natsu to face the enemies before us. The two figures before me were cloaked with black hoodie. Although their faces and expressions were not visible, we could feel the strong magic which eminated from their presence.

"Who are these stupid fools? I am surprised you could not even take down these goth ," Gray sneered at Natsu.

"Shut it ice-boy! I can't wait for you to have a taste of their medicine," Natsu shouted back. I shook my head. Some things just never changed between Gray and Natsu. I was even more surprised that Natsu could gather enough energy to retort back to Gray even in his critical condition. What did I ever see in this empty-brained person?

"Oh, I can't wait to let these goth have the taste of my own medicine alright!" Gray shouted and without wasting any time, he directed his ice attacks towards the two figures whow were still standing still before them.

I could have sworn that I managed to hear a snicker coming from one of the mystery figures, followed by a small 'tched', as if annoyed by a small buzzing bug. The taller figure raised his palm and Gray's incoming ice was stopped mid-air. Just a swift movement of his palm, he managed to redirect the incoming ice back to our direction. It happened so fast that we did not have the time to escape the incoming attack. It hit us just like raining bullets, the sharp ice pierced through our skin just like sharp knife blades. I let out an agonised cry.

Damn, the taller figure could manipulate magic just by using small hand movements! The person did not even flich at the incoming attack. My gaze averted to the slightly smaller figure, who was still standing still.

Erza charged forward in full-speed with her sword. Again, the taller figure just had raise his palm to suspend Erza's motion. I was shaking uncontrollably when I witnessed Erza was suspended mid-air. At this point, I know we were not dealing with ordinary enemies. It was clear that we would not be able to escape unscathed after this. I was also sure that it would take more than magic and determination to bring them down.

Gray and Juvia charged forward and the smaller figure stepped forward and conjured a big black sphere and directed it towards Juvia and Gray. In no time, they were caught inside the black sphere and I could see them shouting in agony. I gulped. Just who the hell are these two people?

I fished out my keys, thinking of summoning Leo. However, the taller figure was quick to detect my movement and just by using his hands, he motioned for the keys in my hands. I stared with wide eyes as I saw the keys were flung towards them. I started to shiver and thousands of negative throughts ran through my head. My confidence was shattered.

"Forgive us for not introducing ourselves from the very beginning," the taller figure stepped forward. His masculine voice caught us off-guard. He took off the black hoodie.

"I am Adrian and this is my comrade, Kishrina," he gestured towards the smaller figure. Kishrina just 'tched' at Adrian's introduction; unbothered to take off her hoodie to show her face to us.

I watched Adrian intently; his unkempt short black hair was rustled by the wind. His big green eyes stared at us mischievously; as if knowing that he was dominating us at this moment. I could have sworn I witnessed a faint glint of playfulness and satisfaction in his green eyes. He moved forward, approaching Natsu who was still lying helplessly on the ground. My eyes widened and my heart skipped a beat.

" We mean no harm but you weak friend here has our prized possession," Adrian towered over Natsu. "And we are just here to have it back. However, your stubborn friend would rather die rather than giving it back to us," Adrian's tone was downright malicious. He stepped onto Natsu's wounded arm and deliberately exerted pressure on the gaping wound. Natsu wrtithed in pain.

"Stop it! Don't hurt him anymore!" I shouted those words instinctively.

I glanced my surroundings. Erza was still suspended mid-air whilst Gray and Juvia were still writhing in pain in the black sphere. It seemed the black sphere was able to manipulate their thoughts and broke down their mental resistance. In short, it was a ruthless torture device conjured by magic.

Think Lucy! Think! What would the others do in this situation? One thing for sure, I am not going to give up easily, not before the likes of them!

"Stop it, Adrian! Just how low can you get? Torturing your victims who no longer have the power and energy to fight?" I shouted. Adrian snickered and tore away his gaze from Natsu to face me.

"What a brave young lady we have here. But let me tell you, no one dares to mess with us," Adrian smirked and continued to exert pressure on Natsu's wounds. This time, he deliberately aimed for the lecerations on his right legs. I winced when I saw blood oozing out from Natsu's wound. I have to stop this. I have to. I could not stand Natsu being treated inhumanely.

"Just who are you? And what do you want exactly?" I challenged, pretending not to be unwavered by Adrian's malicious gaze.

"Lucy, don't give him what he wants!" Natsu managed to shout through gritted teeth. I deliberately ignored his words and chose not to respond to it. At this critical stage, I could only talk my out of this situation to save my comrades using my wit. Our magic and capabilites were clearly out of their league.

"Stop waffling, Adrian. Just tell us what are you actually after. I am sure we can negotiate and bargain this like adults, right?" I forced a sweet smile to Adrian. Adrian laughed half-heartedly.

"I thought you were just another dumb blonde. Turns out you are used to talking your way out of difficult situations, eh?" Adrian smirked and stepped away from Natsu. I saw Natsu heaving a sigh of relief. Adrian slowly made his way towards me. In no time, we were facing each other. It immediately struck me how extremely good-looking Adrian was, his full-lips and piercing gaze resembled that of Enrique Iglesias, an inconic pop-star who I used to adore during my teenage years.

"Don't try to play smart with me. I bet you don't even know what prized treasure are we even talking about here, don't you?" Adrian carved a dazzling smile, showing a set of straight teeth. Damn, this dude could definitely pass as a runaway model!

"To be honest, I don't know but I know Natsu too well to know where he may hide your prized treasure," I answered confidently.

"Oh, are you both lover? Or former lovers? Because I have seen how adamant your pink-haired friend that you know'too well' are protecting the petite girl. You know, the one with grayish white hair?" Adrian dramatically heaved a sigh. I rolled my eyes.

"And why are you so adamant to know about my personal life? I believe it has nothing to do with the topic of our discussion," I challenged Adrian. He broke into a laugther.

"I am starting to like you, blondie! You are very... courageous and... voluptous as well," Adrian eyed me with his naughty eyes. I blushed two shades of red.

"Why, thank you for the compliment, Mr sadistic pervert," I retorted with an attitude. Silently praying that I would not be crushed to pieces because of my daring attitude.

"Save your breath and don't even bother to thank me because you would not be once I kill you, blondie," Adrian smirked. I sighed dramatically.

"Of course, if you were to kill me, you would not be able to recover this. I believe this is what you are looking for, am I right?" I showed him the orange sphere to Adrian. His eyes widened.

"You, why you!" Adrain started to lose his composure. "Give it to us!" Adrian tried to snatch it away from my hands, but I was quick to hide it away from him.

"Let my friends go or I will break this orange sphere before your eyes, I am sure you and Krishina do not want it to happen, am I right?" I challenged Adrian.

I recalled the conversation that I had with Lisanna before I took off from the guild to save Natsu.

"Lucy, take this with you. The enemies only desire to have this orange sphere that they are willing to kill just to get this. I trust you that you would decide what's the best for our comrades. When the time is right, I trust you to decide what to do with this orange spehere in order to save our friends," Lisanna handed me the orange sphere with shaking hands. "It pains me to give this orange sphere to you, but the enemies are not the ordinary wizards! Something about them is different from the rest of us," Lisanna uttered those words with difficultly. I could see that she was gathering the energy that she could muster in her weak condition. I extended my hand to reach for the orange sphere in her hand.

"Anything for our comrades. Leave it to me and please have your rest, Lisanna," a wave of determination swept over me. Lisanna carved a weak smile.

"I'm sorry, Lucy. You are a good person, do you know that?"

My mind snapped back to reality. Adrian was standing before me with piercing eyes, as if he was ready to pounce on me anytime from now. However, he chose not to do so because he feared that he would cause unintended damage to his prized possession, which was currently in my sweaty grip.

I smirked smugly towards Adrian. Behind Adrian, I could see that Krishina was stepping forward.

"Adrian, don't be stupid! Move over and let me obliterate this trash-talking blondie!" Krishina was conjuring a massive black sphere before us, which crackled with ominous lighting. It was even bigger than the one which she had used against Gray and Juvia.

"Stop it, Krish! You are aware what will happen if the orange sphere is damaged, right?" Adrian shouted, never peeling his gaze away from mine. I stared back at him, refusing to back down from this mental fight.

"Let my friends go, then I will give this to you. It seems you don't want this orange sphere to be damaged but I am not hesistant to throw this to the ground! Let me repeat, let my comrades go then I will give this to you, I promise!" I raised my voice, hoping that it would be able to convince Adrian and Krishina.

My determination seemed to swerve Adrian's confidence because I could see Erza was finally able to move her body, albeit slightly. She was slowly breaking through from being suspended mid-air. I almost heaved a sigh of relief but to do so would arouse Adrian's suspicion. Instead, I chose to keep a straight face. It happened so fast, when Erza broke free, she immediately launched an attack against Krishina since she was closer to Erza. Her attacked caught Krishina off-guared and the black sphere which she previously conjured using her hands slipped out of her control and was thrown across the field. My heart skipped a beat when I saw that it was directly heading towards Natsu. At this rate, the black sphere would definitely hit him; and he would not be able to escape the impact in time because of his injuries.

Without thinking, I instinctively lurched forward towards Natsu. After that, everything seemed to happen in slow motion. I stood before Natsu, with arms wide open, ready to shield him from the incoming attack. At that time, I felt as if I had nothing to lose by protecting the man who I truly loved. Someone might call it suicidal and Aquarius would definitely call me stupid for willing to die for the man who did not even love me.

I don't care. to die for the one you love is not dying in vain.

"I am sorry Natsu, I am sorry everyone," it was the last words which I managed to utter when the black sphere hit me squarely. The pain was beyond words, I felt as if every inch of my body was disintegrating upon the impact. The orange sphere which was in my grasp was thrown to the groud and it broke into half.

"Lucy! No! Move over, Lucy!" I heard Natsu's desperate cries behind me. However, everyone knew it was too late. The damage had been done and it could not be undone.

I closed my eyes, taking in the pain with me and slowly felt myself descending into dark abyss. If this is the end, I am truly happy to die for Natsu, who has risked his life several times to save me since we have first met. Knowing this, I carved a smile for the last time and embraced the pitch darkness before me. I felt as if I had done enough in this life. Tears rolled down my eyes; at that point I was not sure whether it was because of regret or pain. One thing for sure, I silently wished that if there was an after life, I prayed that I would not love this man as much as I did during this present life. I wished hard that this life would be the very last time that I would my heart, body and soul would be broken like this.

"I love you Natsu. I really do," I managed to whisper for the last time before the darkness completely engulfed me. Death, I hereby welcome you with open arms.

Once the blinding light from the explosion ceased, Natsu stared the open air in disbelief. His body was shaking uncontrollably. Erza slumped weakly on the ground while Juvia was sobbing uncontrollably in Gray's arms.

"Lucy... Lucy..." Natsu broke down in tears. His mind was still unable to accept that Lucy had gone without traces. Lucy had died whilst trying to save him. Memories between him and Lucy suddenly flooded his mind; her kind smile and her sweet gesture were etched onto Natsu's mind. It felt like an eternal punishment for breaking her heart, for deliberately placing her in painful situations by openly parading his happiness with Lisanna.

He felt the pain which shot through his heart. He tried to stand up but to no avail. Natsu slumped on the ground, gasping for air. He was numb. For the first time in years, he felt the same emotions when Igneel left him. The excruciating, mind-numbing and crippling emotion which left him lost for words.

"LUCY!" his scream sliced through the still forest. On that day, the members of fairy tail mourned the death of Lucy Heartfilia; a sweet girl who had sacrificed her life for the man she truly loved.

On the same day, Natsu realised how foolish he was to let go Lucy and how stupid he was to finally acknowledge his true feelings to her. All this time, it had always been Lucy and not Lisanna. He was just too coward to break Lisanna's heart and to tell her the truth that his feelings for her had been over. Instead, he chose to hurt Lucy rather than hurting Lisanna. He felt it would be easier for all of them. He should have confronted his true feelings before it was too late. Now that Lucy was gone, disintegrated without a trace, it was too late for Natsu to mend what had been broken. He was shattered into pieces, just like the day he shattered Lucy's heart when he chose Lisanna over her.

Tears rolled down his cheeks. At that time, he was too caught up with emotions that Natsu did not realise that a mark with the shape of dragon slowly appered on his arm, just below his fairytail mark. Legends call it the 'soul-mate' mark, which only appeared if two persons are deeply connected with each other. Now, legends would just remain as legends. Lucy had gone without a trace and Natsu had lost his new-found soulmate.

Far away from the grieving fairy tail members, a faint heartbeat was slowly heard. A new life was...re-awakened.


	2. After Three Years

Lisanna stared her reflection in the mirror and heaved a heavy sigh.

Erza was the first one who took the exact words straight from Lisanna's mouth, "just where is this stupid Natsu? How dare he run late on this important day," Erza said with a malicious tone. She balled up her right hand into a fist, as if preparing to smack Natsu's head with her deadly clenched fist the moment he appeared before her.

"Now, now everyone. Please take it easy. We do not want any unplanned death on Lisanna's wedding day, right? Moreover, Erza, if you kill Natsu, the wedding would not be able to proceed," Mirajane reminded Erza with her gentle tone.

Lisanna stole a glance at her reflection in the mirror. She observed the hemline of her mini white wedding dress which stopped just above her knees. The design of the dress complemented her petite figure and matched her sweet personality; at least that was what Natsu had told her when they chose the wedding dress together. Lisanna unconsciously carved a smile at the thought of Natsu.

"It's okay. I trust Natsu and I know he will make it on time for the wedding," Lisanna spoke with confidence, hoping it was sufficient to dispense the heavy tension in the room.

"He better be! Or else he would bring shame to you and our guild. If that happens, I will be the first one to make sure that he would not be able to see the sunrise tomorrow morning," Erza interjected with a spiteful tone, clearly contemplating the appropriate punishment to invoke against Natsu and his empty-brain.

Meanwhile, in a different of Magnolia, Natsu could be seen haphazardly ransacking the contents of his drawers.

"I can't find my bow-tie, Happy! I can 't walk down the wedding aisle without it! Erza will definitely kill me! Screw that, Lisanna won't ever talk to me!" Natsu raised his voice, clearly frustrated by the missing bow-tie. Of all time, the it just had to be missing during on the most important day of his life. Natsu groaned in frustration. He had pulled out every single drawers and ransacked every corner of his messy house; but the bow-tie was still not in plain sight. Happy shook his head in disbelief and let out a small sigh.

"Natsu, this would not happened if you just woke up early this morning," Happy responded as a matter-of-factly. Natsu resisted the urge to roast the flying cat into crisps but reluctantly acknowledged the truth is some part of the cat's statement.

"Correction, Mr Happy. This would not happened if YOU woke me up on time this morning," Natsu responded whilst pointing his finger towards Happy.

"Oh, now you are playing the blame game with me?" Happy asked with wide eyes, feigning a hurtful expression.

"Yes. If there is anyone to blame, it is definitely you. Don't you remember our agreement? You actually agreed to wake me up in time for the wedding but you have failed; and with that you are a disgrace to the entire Exceed race as well," Natsu further aggravated Happy.

Happy gasped. "Natsu, that is clearly taking things too far! What does my Exceed race have to do with this? I am sorry, I am not the one who wanders around every night and come back home when it is already 6 in the morning," Happy retorted indignantly; clearly satisfied that he was finally able to deliver a satisfactory comeback to Natsu's remarks. The atmosphere suddenly went into standstill.

Happy bit his lips; mentally slapping himself for unintentionally hurting Natsu's feelings. Happy stole a quick glance at the solemn Natsu and immediately regretted his actions. Even though what he had just said was the truth, Happy knew better that he should not have used it against Natsu. Otherwise, he would only add salt to his injuries.

"Neh, Natsu, are you alright?" Happy nudged Natsu gently after a long stretch of awkward silence. Natsu was no longer scurrying around the room, searching for the bow-tie. He was sanding still before the open windows, his lean muscular figure illuminated by the bright sun-rays. His muscle was tensed and his body posture was rigid. Happy gulped at the unforgiving silence which lingered between them both. Happy was just about to apologise and even thought of offering to wash the dirty dishes when Natsu turned to face the guilty cat and grinned widely.

"I have found the bow-tie! Let's race to the wedding venue, Happy!" Natsu exclaimed whilst waving the black bow-tie with a silly grin plastered on his face. Happy carved a wide smile; ecstatic to have the normal Natsu back.

"Aye, Aye sir!" Happy exclaimed and immediately flapped his wings, getting a head start before Natsu could break into a run.

"That's cheating, you disgraceful flying cat! You should be ashamed of yourself," Natsu shouted from the doorway, clearly dissatisfied with Happy's head-start.

"The loser is going to wash the dishes this evening!" Happy responded gleefully; clearly confident that victory was within his grasp. Happy stifled a laugh upon imagining Natsu's dissatisfied expression while washing the dirty dishes. Judging by the towering pile of dirty dishes, it seemed Natsu would probably spend the entire night cleaning it. Happy laughed even louder at that thought.

Lisanna peeked from the dressing room uneasily. Part of her wishes that Erza would smack the sense out of Natsu and his bad habit; but her other half is worried that Natsu may encounter unforeseen danger on his way to the wedding venue. Knowing Natsu, he attracted trouble just everyone he goes; be it intentionally or not. Mirajane chuckled upon observing Lisanna jittery-self but she perfectly understood the source of her anxiety. The audience in the wedding hall clearly look uncomfortable, constantly shifting in their seats; probably wondering why the wedding ceremony was delayed for almost an hour. The master had came to check on them for the fifth timewhilst Elfman could be seen pacing back and forth and launching an incoherent tirade about how being late breached the principles of masculinity. The surrounding atmosphere was clouded with heavy tension.

"Natsu is here! Natsu has arrived!" Wendy exclaimed from the doorway. All the women in the dressing room heaved a sigh of relief. They genuinely thought the wedding had to be postponed just because Natsu decided to make a no-show at the last minute.

"That's good. I can't wait to plant this sword directly into his brain; if he has a brain at all," Erza conjured her sword from mid-air and grinned. Natsu stepped into the dressing room with a guilty expression.

"I am really sorry Lisanna. I promise that I would make it up for you!" Natsu apologised profusely.

"Don't even bother to apologise, because you will die within seconds if you do not make your way to the wedding aisle this instant!" Erza interjected before Lisanna could even responded.

"Jeez Erza, why do you always have to burst the bubble? I just want to see my beautiful bride before the wedding ceremony," Natsu carved a sincere smile and gently pat Lisanna's head.

"Natsu, stop it! Or else you will displace the veil! I don't want to walk down the aisle with a lopsided veil on top of my head," Lisanna complained with a sulky expression. Natsu laughed.

"You look beautiful today, Lisanna," Natsu winked at her before taking steady steps towards the wedding aisle; where the pastor had waited patiently for his arrival. He took a confident stride past the audience with a wide grin. The shape of his lean muscular body after years of training was clearly showing beneath the perfectly fitted tuxedo. His big eyes glistened with happiness as he scanned the wedding hall for familiar faces.

"Everyone, let's get this wedding on the road. I am all fired up!" Natsu exclaimed with confidence. The rest of the fairytail members jeered in unison. Erza carved a smile at the absurdity of the scenes which unfolded before her eyes.

"Even though it has been three years, you just never change, Natsu," Erza shook her head before making her way to join the rest of the guild-members, who were sitting on the wooden benches.

A/N : hey beloved readers! What do you think of the story progress so far? Feel free to drop your thoughts/opinions in the review section below! I am currently writing the third chapter; let's hope I can finish typing it by tomorrow evening. Looking forward to your responses!

Signing out,

missfriday x


	3. The Assassins

The Assassins

Krishina gracefully stode past the motionless men lying in the pool of blood, their limbs were twisted in various awkward angle. Krishnia simply 'tched' at the gory sight before her; completely unfazed by the sight of broken bones and exposed flesh. To her, the fallen men represented weakness and frailty, and as someone who believed in the notion of 'survival of the fittest', weak individuals were just a hindrance and unwanted occupiers of the earth's living space.

Across the room, Adrian slumped into one of the cushioned vintage settee and placed his legs on top of the coffee table. He clearly looked amused and carved a wide smile, flashing his set of pearl white teeth and deep dimples. In a normal context, his smile would definitely pass for a television commercial for a widely-known toothpaste brand. However, in this context, Adrian deliberately flashed the playful smile before a group of men, who were huddled closely together at the corner of the hall. Adrian reached out for an apple from the fruit bowl and tossed it in the air playfully. With a flick of his finger, the red glossy apply was suspended mid-air. A collective sharp intake of breath was heard from the men and Adrian smirked smugly. He flicked his finger and the apple stopped defying the law of gravity and dropped. Adrian was quick to catch the apple, just inches before it managed to hit the floor and took a big bite. A sly smile was still plastered on his handsome expression. He cleared his throat and the men literally jumped in the air.

"Relax guys! Really, I mean no harm. I just want to enjoy my apple. See?" Adrian taunted the shaking men and took another bite of the scrumptious apple. When he was halfway through the apple, Adrian pretended to hurl the half-eaten apple towards the trembling men and let out a loud laughter which echoed through the empty guild when seeing the men instinctively launched into an incoherent desperate pleas for help. In Adrian's eyes, when submission, fear and cowardice intertwined into one, it generated one hell of a beautiful sight.

"Don't piss yourself just yet, brave men. This is just an apple, not a grenade. Can't you see? Although I can't promise you all that it would not magically turn into explosives any second from now," Adrian shrugged lazily and laid his body on the settee.

Across the room, Krishina was fuming with anger. "Stop playing games, Adrian! Don't forget why we are here in the first place," Krishina reminded him, whilst kicking one of the men who obstructed her way. Adrian simply shrugged off Krishina's reminder; clearly used to hearing it every time they undertook a mission together.

"Krish, you don't have the definition of 'fun' in your life vocabulary, do you?" Adrian retorted with a bored expression.

"I can't wait to see all the fun you would have if we fail this mission and not paid by our client," Krishina responded as a matter-of-factly and folded her hands indignantly. Adrian heaved a small sight, acknowledging the truth of Krishina's words.

"Fine. I have to agree with you on this one, although we have never failed any single mission since the last three years. Let's play our favourite head-shot game, shall we?The one who manage to hit the guild master's head will win this round. Do you agree?" Adrian rose from his comfortable position and carved a sly smile. Krishina simply 'tched' at Adrian; but Adrian knew her too well that it meant she had agreed to play the sick game together.

"And the loser will have to pay the winner's meal for a month, is that understood?" Krishina added. Adrian simply shrugged lazily; completely unbothered to utter his agreement. He was sure that Krishina would take his seemingly half-hearted response as an agreement on his side.

Tobias, the guild-master, who was standing behind his strong men felt disgusted upon hearing the suggested game. Just who do these brats think they are to view my death as a one-month meal ticket? He thought to himself. Tobias was sure his life cost more than a month worth of meal. Heck, it would even cost more than lifetime supply of meal. A wave of determination suddenly swept over him; Tobias was unwilling to die in vain in the hands of these sadistic ruthless assassins. Not in million years until he had put up a good fight against them.

He pushed his henchmen aside and stepped forward with a feigned confidence. His small round frame radiated pride and dignity; despite acknowledging that he was knocking on the death's door the moment he had chosen to confront Adrian and Krishina face-to-face. Tobias folded his arms and smirked smugly.

"Considering both of you are playing this sinister game, I would like to join your small party as well. Surely, the game is no fun if it is only one-sided, right?" Tobias cracked a sly smile.

"Oh, I know that smile pretty well! Do you have something up on your sleeve, old man?" Adrian questioned with a huge smile; completely unfazed by the confident facade displayed by Tobias. Tobias barked a laughter.

"Why, you have a pair of sharp eyes, young man. In fact, I do have something up on my sleeve; and I am confident that you and that lady over there will be a goner in no time," Tobias immediately cited an incoherent incitations and drew a magic circle using his index finger. It all happened swiftly; Adrian and Krishina soon found themselves trapped inside a dark purple magic circle. They were perfectly aware that their magic would be of no use as long as they were trapped inside the magic circle. It was like being trapped in a glass cage, which had the capability to neutralise and extract all their magic power.

Upon seeing Adrian and Krishina had fallen into his trap; Tobias grinned and re-collected his ebbing confidence.

"I assume my dearly beloved arch-nemesis, Claudiere, sent you here. Am I right?" Tobias mentioned casually whilst loosening his joints. Adrian simply smiled; completely unbothered to answer Tobias' s question.

"I have actually heard rumours about an independent assassin guild; but obviously not many survived to tell the tale. Unfortunately, those who survived are mentally deranged and unstable to even deliver a coherent sentence to convey the truth," Tobias carefully eyed Adrian and Krishina. In one glance, there was nothing terrifying about them. In fact, their image and facade did not match that of the rumoured infamous and ruthless assassins. Tobias averted his gaze to Adrian, who folded his arms while displaying an amused expression. A playful grin was always plastered on his handsome face. His perfectly chiseled jawline and piercing gaze would definitely pass him for a runaway model. Tobias peeled his eyes off Adrian to face Krishina. The petite woman with smooth brown curls had been staring at Tobias intently; calculating his every moves and possibly devising various strategies to overcome him. Clearly, both of them never expected Tobias to know the dark ancient magic. Well, that's what they actually got for deliberately looking down on their enemies and letting their guards down.

"I have to admit. I am a tad bit impressed of the dark magic you have here. Is this what they call the body-link magic?" Adrian queried. He raised his left eyebrows whilst waiting for the response from Tobias. Tobias simply chuckled, to hide the fact that he was surprised that Adrian actually knew about this particular dark magic; which most people thought had been lost in time.

"That's right, bastard. Basically, whatever is inflicted to the magic caster would also be inflicted to the recipients. So in case I choose to blow my head into pieces, both of you can bid farewell to the living and say hi to the dead," Tobias answered calmly. Adrian clapped his hands, clearly enjoying every minute of Tobias's explanation.

"You know, it has been a while since our team is up for a challenge like this. Hallelujah! Finally, knowing that, I can finally rest in peace. I can't never thank you enough Tobias, for willing to humbly sacrifice yourself to kill us in the process. Although I have to say that you would definitely miss all the luxuries and comfort that you currently have here. Sorry to break it to you my brother, but you just don't have these things in the deepest pit of hell, where we are heading together very soon," Adrian stated as a matter-of-factly; as if delivering a normal general knowledge lesson in front of primary school students. Tobias gulped; his newly found confidence was slowing ebbing.

"Dear God, you just don't know when to shut up, do you? Moreover, do you even realise that this issue actually resulted because you just could not stop talking even for a second?" Krishina groaned in frustration.

"Stop the blame game Krish! You know it has been a while since we are challenged like this. Don't be uptight at the last moments of your life; surely you do not want to face God with that sulky and irritated expression right?" Adrian retorted. Krishina snorted.

"You know what, I have enough of your stupid games and your carefree attitude! I can no longer deal with it!" Krishina said vehemently.

"Now, now Krish. You better take those words back. Surely, you don't want those to be the last words you ever utter in this lifetime right? Considering we both might be neigbours in hell, we might as well try to get along with each other on our death bed," Adrian responded calmly. Krishina had finally snapped.

"YOU BLOODY FOOL. Why do you have to treat everything like a game? I swear to God, I will kill you if we ever get out of this stupid dark magic circle alive. Your brain will definitely be my first target," Krishina barked towards Adrian. Adrian just chose to shrug off her threats; he was used to hearing it that he was no longer able to take it seriously.

"Just sit still, my soft-hearted kitten. Don't ever bother to waste your energy whilst trapped inside this magic circle. We both know that resistance is futile," Adrian winked at Krishina, who was clearly fuming with rage.

At this stage, the men who previously huddled together sweat-dropped as they watched the family drama unfolded before their eyes. They had never thought they would be able to witness ruthless assassins bickered like a pair of old married couple. The charisma and mysterious aura which accompanied their presence evaporated instantly and in their eyes, Adrian and Krishina no longer appeared as a threat. A sweet smell wafted in the air. As if an unspoken cue, Adrian and Krishina stopped their bickering.

"Adrian, Krish, please stop this embarassing and pointless childish fight," a feminine voice sliced thorough the silent atmosphere. All heads turned to the main doorway, where the feminine voice originated from. A figure clad in black cloak stepped into the disarray guild and took a graceful stride towards Adrian and Krishina.

Adrian smiled widely upon seeing the figure approaching them.

"Oi, oi, sorry to keep you waiting! Apparently, we are caught up in this mess. I know this is rare; but at least it has an interesting twist to our adventures right?" Krishina rolled her eyes upon hearing Adrian's carefree response. The figure clad in black robe walked past Adrian and Krishina, without responding to his statement. She stopped exactly before the men who were huddled closely together. She could sense their fear in the air. She lifted off her hoodie to show her face to them and the men unconsciously drew a sharp intake of breath.

Standing before them was a beautiful woman, nothing like they had ever seen in their life. Her long wavy hair was tied up in a ponytail using a red ribbon; a hairstyle which perfectly complemented her sweet innocent face. However, her cold stare somehow showed a different part of her soul. One thing for sure, something about the woman before them was alluring and tempting the men to approach her. At this point, they were not sure whether they were swayed by her profound beauty or her mysterious aura which surrounded her physical presence. Adrian let out a small chuckle; clearly confident that victory was within their grasp now that the woman had finally made her grand entrance.

"We apologise for the wait Lucy. Apparently, this no-brainer thinks that it is fun to blabber throughout the entire mission and waste our time," Krishina shot a piercing gaze towards Adrian, who appeared to be non-chalant and somewhat smug.

I stepped closer and reached out to touch Tobias's face. I traced the bridge of his nose and heaved a small sigh. "I am sorry gentlemen but an assassin has to do what an assassin has to do," I reached out and whispered seductively in Tobias's ears. I have to admit that it would be a major turn on for the men if they did not realise that I was currently escorting them to the death's door. I closed my eyes for a few seconds; conjuring dark thoughts in my mind. Once I opened my eyes, I could see the men, including Tobias, were engulfed in a bright flame. Their wide eyes and shocked expression were gone instantaneously; no desperate cries and pleas for help, begging for the pain to stop. The kill was efficient and clean. Within seconds, their bodies had completely disintegrated into ashes. I smiled jubilantly; not hiding the fact that I was truly proud of my capability. With that, I put the hoodie back on to cover half of my face and made my way towards the main door.

"Our job here is finally done. It's time to report back to our client and take our payment," I beckoned with a straight tone. Adrian laughed and wrapped his arms around my neck.

"That's really awesome, Lucy! Apparently, they have sensibly nicknamed you the Devil's Angel eh?" Adrian shouted into my ears. I instinctively took a step backward; considering how close we both were at this moment. I stole a glance at the sullen Krishina, whose eyes had never left the ground since we first stepped out of the trashed guild. I nudged her playfully and shot Adrian a sharp look.

"Oi, what's with the grim expression, Krish?" I queried with a gentle smile. At this point, I could clearly see that Krishina was at the point of breaking down; tears welled up in her eyes. I bet her vision must be blurry at this moment. I hugged Krishina and gently pat her head. She finally lost it and snapped when she was in my embrace.

"LUCY! THANK YOU FOR SAVING OUR BUTTS! Otherwise, our brains would be blown into pieces by now," Krishinna sobbed and hugged me tightly. I smiled. Who would have thought the seemingly cold Krishina was actually a soft-hearted kitten when she was around the people she was comfortable with?

"It's okay. We are all safe now. It's all over. Furthermore, you have Adrian to sponsor you a month supply of food right? In that way, you don't have to spend any of your reward," I ruffled her hair gently and smirked towards Adrian. He stared at us with gaping mouth, hoping I was just pulling mean tricks on him.

"What's with that dumbfounded expression? Someone who nearly blotched the mission and minutes away from sending us to the death's door surely deserve to be punished no? You should be thankful that I don't wish to see you burnt to crisps," I responded non-chalantly, amused upon seeing Adrian's dissatisfied expression. He shot the crying Krishina a dirty look.

"Apparently, Krish needs to see a bloody psychiatrist and ask for medicines to treat her split personality," Adrian insulted. I heaved a sigh. He just had to spoil the peaceful atmosphere with his sharp tongue. Krishina delivered a sharp blow straight onto his nose bridge and Adrian howled in pain. I shook my head. He was the one asking for it.

From the distance, I could see a firework exploded in the dark sky and formed a familiar shape, which inexplicably felt close to my heart. I stopped in my track and stared at the captivating shape which resembled that of a small bird but with a pointed long tail. I could not recall where I had seen the shape but one thing for sure, it stirred discomfort within me. For some unknown reasons, I felt a sharp pain pierced through my heart; as if it intuitively recalled a past trauma. My head was spinning and my breathing became heavy. I had never been this weak but even at the sight of the shape caused me to slump weakly. Just what was exactly the meaning of that shape? I placed my trembling hands over my rapidly beating heart, hoping that the pain would subside. Honestly, if the symbol was associated with my past, I did't need to know about it. I felt perfectly happy with my current life and I did not need my long-forgotten blurry past to resurface as long as I had Adrian and Krishina by my side. I was genuinely at peace with my current life. I truly was and I did not need anyone from my past to disrupt my peace.

Natsu stopped his running when the first firework exploded in the night sky. He admired the majestic fairytail symbol which lighted the dark night sky and he carved a smile. Of course, Master would definitely wish to end the important day with a bang to celebrate Lisanna's wedding with Elton Demeyre. Natsu deliberately left his guild-mates once the wedding ceremony was over. Natsu felt that he had no reasons to stay as his task as Elton's best man was finally over; although he unintentionally caused a commotion for being late at the start of the wedding ceremony. At least, the whole ceremony proceeded smoothly afterwards. The newly wed-couple had met through Natsu when he saved Elton from being eaten alive by a giant serpent during one of his mission. Natsu then decided to bring Elton back to the guild considering it was closer than the main hospital. Natsu realised that Elton and Lisanna hit off well during the his stay in the guild but he took it as a normal friendship bond. To be honest, Natsu was probably the last one to notice the intense sparks and chemistry which existed between Lisanna and Elton since Natsu was usually unbothered about these things. Imagine his surprise when he actually found out Lisanna and Elton were both dating. To make it worse, he almost died in shock when he found out Elton actually proposed to Lisanna six months after dating her. Nevertheless, he was genuinely happy for Lisanna and deep down, Natsu was glad that she was married to the soft-spoken and kind-hearted Elton. They perfectly complemented each other and Natsu could not been happier to give his blessings to the newly-wed couple.

He wiped the sweat off his temple and huffed a sigh of relief. Natsu embraced the surge of endorphin and energy after his 20 km run. He slumped on the pedestrian path by the waterway, directly facing the room which Lucy used to occupy. He had been doing this for the last 3 years, sitting by the waterway from late evenings until early mornings; hoping one of these days he would be able to see the lights in her room switched on and her silhouette would appear before his eyes. He had always imagined the conversation that he would have with her, the gaps and stories that he would fill her with during her 3 year long absence. The thoughts of that actually helped Natsu to keep moving forward. The faith - albeit misplaced -that he would be able to meet Lucy again in the future. Natsu carved a half-smile as memories between him and Lucy flooded his mind. He ran to forget the painful memories and escaped the feeling of missing his Lucy. Even just for a while.

"Hey Lucy, today I managed to forget you for an hour during my 20 km run. I even set a new record for myself this evening, do you know that?" Natsu whispered to himself and closed his eyes. "but you still won anyway, because you are permanently etched onto my memories and every part of my mind since the last three years. Every minute and every second; without fail. Your legacy is truly remarkable, eh?" with that Natsu threw his body on the cobbled street and place his arms over his eyes. "I miss you,Lucy Heartfilia. Please come back to my arms," Natsu whispered and tears rolled down his cheeks.

A/N : hey guys! Thanks for reading and I apologise for the shock that I deliberately inflict on you guys during the previous chapter. I hope this chapter has cleared the misunderstanding on your part :p anyway, what do you guys think will happen next? Please feel free to drop by your opinions/ideas in the review section below! Looking forward to reading your responses 3

signing out,

miss friday x


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